Norfolk - Gayton

GAYTON is a parish and large village 2½ miles north-east from East Winch station on the Lynn and Dereham railway, and 7 east from Lynn, in the Western division of the county, Freebridge Lynn hundred and union, Lynn county court district, rural deanery of Lynn and archdeaconry and diocese of Norwich. The church of St. Nicolas is an ancient structure in the Transition style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles and square tower, which has statues representing the four Evangelists, for pinnacles, a pointed roof and vane, and contains 2 bells, being the tenor and first treble of a peal of five: in 1850 it was restored, reseated, the chancel new roofed, and three stained windows presented, one by Mr. William Curtis, churchwarden, and the other two by A. Simpson esq. of Highbury and Gayton, who also gave a clock; the east window represents the Incredulity of St. Thomas; there is an organ, erected in 1865 by the Rev. C. Jex-Blake, the then vicar. The parish register dates from the year 1702. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Bishop of Norwich, and held since 1867 by the Rev. William Aubrey Cutting M.A. of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, who is also chaplain of Freebridge Lynn union. The vicarial tithes are commuted at £320, and there are 15A. 2R. 3P. of glebe; a commodious vicarage house has been erected, having a garden of about 4 acres. The rectorial tithes belong to the see of Ely, and are let on lease of lives; they are commuted at £500. Here are a Wesleyan and a handsome Primitive Methodist chapel. At the Enclosure in 1811, a fuel allotment of 30A. 1R. 22P. was awarded, now let for about £65 a year, which is distributed in coals among the parishioners whose yearly rent does not exceed £8. The Freebridge Lynn Union House is situated in this parish; it is a plain building constructed of carr stone and bricks, erected in 1830, and will hold 131. For particulars of Union, see Lynn. Gayton Hall is the seat of the Earl of Romsey; a small rivulet rises in the grounds and flows into Lynn harbour. There are three manors, viz.:Gayton Hall, belonging to Walter Dodd esq.; Well Hall, to Earl Romney; and West Hall, of which Sir W. Jones bart. of Cranmer Hall, is the lord. The principal landowners are the trustees of the late William Dodd esq.; Earl Romney, Sir Willoughby Jones bart. and Philip Candler Shepheard esq. The parish is generally fertile, of light soil over chalk, flint, gravel and sand. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. The area is 3,131 acres; rateable value, £4,385; the population in 1881 was 756, including the inmates of the union.